Hong Kong Variety Show: The Development Notes of a Boss

Two major events occurred in succession in the underworld, forcing all the major societies to keep a low profile, so the past two years have been a rare period of peace in the underworld.

When Jiang Tianyang was the leader, he said that he would manage the society in a business-like manner. He didn't just say it, he really did it.

Since Jiang Tianyang came to power, Hongxing has changed step by step. Now it seems that it is no longer a society, but a legal and formal large company.

In 1997, the Hong Kong property market collapsed, and the Clearwater Bay project headed by Jiang Tianyang lost everything. In order to appease people and to help some people survive the economic crisis, Jiang Tianyang decided to give up the profit from the payment.

Each hall pays a sum to the society, a large part of which is the income from protection fees. In addition, there are industries jointly invested by the society and the hall, and there are also industries invested by the society but operated by a separate hall. A portion of the income from these two areas must be handed over to the society.

When Jiang Tiansheng was in power, he had already taken back the industries invested by the society. Even the partnership industries were either transferred to the gang or taken back by the society in their entirety.

When Jiang Tianyang was in power, the only income from the protection fees that the gangs paid to the government every month was actually the protection fees. At that time, the major gangs could no longer collect much protection fees.

For example, in Tuen Mun, the entire Tuen Mun belongs to Lu Yongqiang's territory. If it were ten years ago, he could collect at least 10 to 20 million in protection fees every month. Just from this, he could hand over 5 to 6 million to the society every month.

However, when Jiang Tianyang became the leader, Lu Yongqiang no longer collected protection fees, but instead changed to environmental sanitation fees and property fees. This is a formal company. Not only does it have to arrange people to do the actual work, but it also has to pay taxes to the government. The monthly net profit is only three to five million. Lu Yongqiang cannot hand over all the profits to the association. He will only hand it over in proportion, which is only about one million per month.

This is the case with Lu Yongqiang, and it is also the case with other gangs.

When Lu Yongqiang first rose to prominence, the twelve major branches of the Hung Hing Gang had to pay tens of millions every month in prosperous places like Causeway Bay, and even in rural areas like Tuen Mun, they had to pay several million every month.

But now, people in Tuen Mun can still pay hundreds of thousands of dollars, but people in Causeway Bay pay even less, only a few hundred thousand dollars every month, and it has hardly reached one million.

This is not because Chen Haonan is incompetent or corrupt, but is caused by several major changes in the society.

When Big Boss B was around, Causeway Bay could pay tens of millions to 20 million, of which protection fees only accounted for about one-tenth, or just over one million per month. The rest was basically the income from the gang's several venues in Causeway Bay.

At that time, the society had gambling dens, nightclubs, and bars in Causeway Bay. These were all the society's businesses. Boss B was only responsible for management. Boss B could only take 30% of the profits, and the remaining 70% had to be handed over to the society.

Later, Jiang Tiansheng took back these bars and nightclubs to the society and handed them over to Chen Haonan to run. According to the rules set by Jiang Tiansheng at the time, 70% of the nightclub income belonged to the society, 20% belonged to him, Jiang Tiansheng personally, and Chen Haonan could only take 10%.

Of course, Jiang Tiansheng wanted to whitewash himself at that time, so he outsourced all the gray businesses in the nightclubs, such as the business of hosting guests and the flesh trade in bars and nightclubs. The society did not touch these businesses, and they were all run by Chen Haonan. If something happened, it would naturally not be the society's fault, and the responsibility would also be borne by Chen Haonan.

At that time, Jiang Tiansheng did not take back the gambling den. It was still run by Chen Haonan. At that time, Causeway Bay could pay several million every month, and sometimes even tens of millions.

After Jiang Tianyang took over, the bars and nightclubs in Causeway Bay were sold off, completely eliminating their income. The gambling dens, also shut down due to a crackdown by the police, left Causeway Bay with only the income from protection fees.

Chen Haonan also changed the payment to environmental sanitation fees in Causeway Bay. After deducting the operating costs and taxes, the monthly profit here is only two to three million. If the amount is paid proportionally, it is only about six to seven hundred thousand a month.

Because the amount of payment was getting less and less, Jiang Tianyang gave up this matter, and the uncles in the society did not try to stop him.

When the property market just collapsed, Lu Yongqiang suggested that the Clearwater Bay project, which was headed by Jiang Tianyang, be sold as soon as possible to avoid greater losses. However, no one was willing to do so at the time. Not only Jiang Tianyang opposed it, but others also opposed it. Then everyone was trapped. Now the project has become a hot potato. No one is willing to take over the project if they want to sell it. If they want to continue, with the current housing prices falling all the way, there is almost no sign of recovery, and no one has the courage to invest more money in it.

Speaking of which, the leaders of Hongxing were also quite miserable. At the beginning, Lu Yongqiang called on everyone to invest in the Luguo Group and develop the Dingwu Building.

Everyone started investing in 1995, and the Luguo Group only started construction in the second half of 1996. The first phase of the project had just been completed in mid-1997 when the real estate market in Hong Kong collapsed.

Although everyone’s investment has not been wasted, the funds are trapped. The houses are there, but they cannot be sold and cannot be converted into cash.

Given the current situation, the second phase of the project planned by Luguo Group has naturally become a distant prospect.

Luguo Group was trapped, and now the project in Qingshui Bay is also trapped. Everyone has suffered heavy losses.

Among them, the prince, Ma Wangjian, and Xiyan, these three people have strong family backgrounds, so even if they are trapped, it will not be a serious loss to them.

Thirteenth Sister, Zhang Shun, and Pretty Mom, although these people's family background is not as good as that of the Prince and his companions, they are cautious in their investments. Thirteenth Sister and Pretty Mom, for example, only invested 10 million yuan each in the Qingshui Bay project, while Zhang Shun only invested 5 million yuan. They can still withstand this loss.

But the rest of the people, like Fatty Li, Han Bin and Da Fei, have put their entire fortune into the Clearwater Bay project.

Han Bin mortgaged all the cruise ships and hotels under his name, and raised 200 million yuan, which he invested in the Qingshui Bay project.

Dafei mortgaged all the houses under his name and the sauna room under his wife's name, raising a total of 30 million.

As for Fatty Li, he mortgaged the magazine company and printing factory under his name and raised 100 million yuan.

Now that the project over there has run into problems, life has immediately become difficult for them.

In order to repay the bank loan, Han Bin had to sell the hotel he invested in Xiao Rizi. However, the financial crisis affected not only Gangcheng but also Xiao Rizi. The property market there also collapsed, and Han Bin's hotel could not be sold at a high price.

Han Bin has been considering selling the cruise ship lately. There's no other way. The financial crisis hasn't just impacted the real estate market; it's affected every aspect of the economy.

Like the gambling ship business, before the financial crisis, Han Bin could earn at least several million every month by relying on a gambling ship, but now, it is only one to eight hundred thousand a month at most. With such a small profit, it is not enough to cover the cost of smoothing relations between superiors and subordinates.